Why Hawaii?//186

Hawaii isn’t one thing. It can be a surf town, a volcanic summit that feels like the moon, a rainforest with waterfalls, and a quiet stretch of beach that makes you forget what day it is. On my first trip to Hawaii, I head to Maui and use one guiding question to make sense of it all: why would someone choose Hawaii over any other “paradise” on the map? What I learn comes as much from conversations as it does from the scenery. 

I stayed in a hostel, even though that’s not the most common pick for women 50 and above, and it quickly becomes the most unexpected part of the journey. I meet young international travelers from South Africa, Germany, and Spain, and I hear why Hawaii feels like a unique US destination compared with the big-city routes most visitors take. I also meet Sandie, a 75-year-old nomad who returns each year for the relaxed pace, the temperate weather, and the steady calm that “island time” brings. 

We talk about what Hawaii offers that’s hard to replicate: turquoise beaches, volcanoes, national parks, hiking, beginner-friendly surf spots, history, and a living culture rooted in a deep connection to land and ocean. I also share practical solo travel tips for Hawaii planning, including why it can be easier than international travel, how distance and time zones factor in, and why the best itinerary starts with your real reason for going, whether that’s adventure, rest, healing, or spiritual renewal. 

If you’re craving nature, a reset from burnout, or a solo trip that feels safe and expansive, this one is for you. Subscribe, share this with a friend planning a getaway, and leave a review with your answer: what’s your why for travel?

Transcript

Welcome And The Hawaii Question

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So what does this music remind you of? I had the privilege of spending some time in Hawaii very recently, and I wanted to share a little bit about that time. But more importantly, why would someone choose to go to Hawaii versus some of those other more exotic islands, paradises? Welcome to Solo Travel Adventures. I'm Cheryl Esh, and I'm so glad you're here. I have never been to Hawaii, so this was a first for me. And I picked Hawaii for a couple of reasons. But before I get to my reasons, I wanted to share while I was there what got me thinking about asking this question about why would someone choose to go to Hawaii was where I stayed. I stayed in a hostel, which I know is not where a lot of women 50 and above like to stay. But I did this time around meet a lot of very incredible people, diverse people. And I did ask that question to a couple people that were there to find out why they were in Hawaii. I was specifically on the island of Maui. So Hawaii has several islands. And I will tell you, each island, in my opinion, has a different feel to it. So if you do consider going to Hawaii, that the research and finding out what's the vibe of each island might help you decide which one to spend your time on. I met these three young girls that they were 18 and the other two were 19. One was from South Africa, one was from Germany, and one was from Spain. And we had a conversation as to why did they come as international folks doing some travel before they started a job that they're taking not quite a gap year, but some a time frame where they were not working before they started their official job of being nannies. And because they could have gone anywhere in the U.S. if they wanted to come to the U.S. and get that experience because they're not from the U.S., I was curious as to why they chose Hawaii. And they had a they had two reasons. One specifically was their part of the program that they were doing, the nanny company that they were working for, which is what brought the three young girls together to travel together, had an orientation there on one of the islands, not Maui. I believe it might have been on the big island. And they also wanted to go somewhere that was not the norm of what we might consider U.S. destinations. So when foreigners and people from other countries come to visit the United States, they often gravitate towards some of those big cities, such as New York City, LA, maybe they go to Florida, Miami, Chicago, maybe they go to DC as the capital, and seeing some of that richness of our country, from end to end, it's very different if you've traveled the U.S., but Hawaii, it's different than the rest of the U.S., in my opinion, just like Alaska is as well. And it offers so much that I think that's part of the reason they chose to come to Hawaii instead of seeing other parts of the U.S. instead. Because it is not your norm of a U.S. kind of destination. It has beaches, pristine blue waters, it's got volcanoes. It has also Honolulu has some nightlife. It has history as well with Pearl Harbor, and you have surfing, you have in general, there is this very paradised island feel, of course, to Hawaii. And I know that as I talk to more people in the hostel, there were a few girls and even men that were there. They were there specifically for the surfing. It is the area where we were in Maui, is known for surfing. Big waves, great place to go if you love to surf. Or learning to surf, like I did, what took me to a beginner beach, as they call it, beginner waves. There's outdoor nature in Hawaii. So as I personally was considering why do I want to go to Hawaii, there were a few reasons. I personally love being in nature. If you've been listening long enough, you know that getting outdoors, going to national parks, being in nature is vital to really any trip that I take that needs to be a part of my travels incorporated in some way. And so Hawaii did offer all of that. And there's such beautiful nature. And I love national parks. I got to do some hiking, which is also a vital part of when I plan a trip. That's what I want to do. And I made it a point to make sure in this particular trip that I was also open and meeting other people, creating community, so to speak. And that was the other reason I chose the hostel. And I also met an incredible lady. She was 75. Hello, Sandy, if you're listening. She is a nomad, and the reason she's in Hawaii is that she does spend roughly three months out of the year in Hawaii. She just loves the beauty of it. She loves the relaxed feel. We call it the island feel, where things are not rushed. And the weather is so temperate. It does rain here and there, but it never really gets that cold. The sun shines, blue skies, blue waters. It's amazing. It's a respite for some of her time as she's a nomad and she's got incredible travel stories. But other people choose Hawaii, maybe for other reasons. I think Hawaii really offers a mix of emotional, spiritual, cultural reasons for people to maybe visit. It definitely is an escape from everyday life while still being a part of the U.S. So that was the other reason I chose Hawaii, and that may be why others are looking. If you are a U.S. citizen, you're looking at travel, and the Hawaii Islands are part of the US, so there's no international travel. You don't technically need a passport as long as your driver's license has that special little star on it for what they're requiring now to travel in the U.S. And it just makes it a lot easier. And if you live on the West Coast, holy mackerel, you are so close. If you live on the East Coast, it is a little bit of a flight, and then you have that huge time difference as well. So six hours if you're East Coast to Hawaii time difference. But it offers you an a feel like you might be maybe in the Polynesian islands, but less flight time. And with everything going on with travel and jet fuel going up and prices of travel for summer going up, I was choosing to stay within the U.S. as well. So that was some of the reasons. That's also could be reasons why others are choosing Hawaii as a destination if you live in the U.S. Some of the biggest reasons people are drawn to Hawaii is the natural beauty, as I mentioned, because it ranges from the turquoise beaches to the volcanoes and lava fields. It has waterfalls and rainforest, like all in the same. So on Maui, in the national park, there is their huge summit, which I did go see the sunrise or tried to see the sunrise, and it's like being on the moon. It's just rocky and dry and hilly, and there's sands, like rusty sands. But then on the other side of that same national park, still on the same island, you have a rainforest feel and waterfalls. And it was just so dramatic. And each, as I mentioned, each island offers a different feel. Maui tends to be more of that relaxed, laid back, beachy, island time. Nothing. I love that nothing was rushed. Many travelers describe Hawaii as emotionally restorative. As I mentioned, there's a slower pace, and there's the ocean environment, and we know that water can be very healing. It's a tropical environment, it does help people reconnect with themselves, especially if you are experiencing maybe some burnout from work, you have some grief you need to process. You're having a major life transition. Now, I do recommend, I say Hawaii is very much a safe place, welcoming place for women traveling solo. You will hear lots of people will take trips to Hawaii for, say, a honeymoon or an anniversary celebration. But it is a wonderful atmosphere. I met so many single people on this trip, and there's such a culture there too. So if you are staying a little longer and culture and that Hawaiian spirit is something you want to experience, then Hawaii is the place to go. You got the hula performances, traditional Hawaiian food. I think just in general, uh, the natives in Hawaii they have such a deep connection with the land and the ocean that you can just feel it, you can sense it when you come in contact with others that um that live there that are natives. But Hawaii offers adventure, which is why I went mostly. I love um hiking, I love getting outdoors, as I said. So as you reflect on places that you would want to go, and I always ask the question about why do you want to go there? As we looked at why certain people might choose to go to Hawaii, it is a great way to escape the mainland of city life usually, and really step back and almost forget time, meaning you're not looking at your watch, there's no appointments to be at, and they call it island time, which I absolutely loved. And Hawaii feels exotic enough without having to travel halfway across the world for me. So for me, it was about adventure in nature and that respite, and needing that just time away from the everyday life, the the suburban and urban rushing of the city life that which is where I reside, um, and having that quietness and that stillness available to me throughout my whole time. Have you been to Hawaii? And if not, what would be your reasons for going? Is it something spiritual or emotional that you feel you want to reconnect with nature or with God? And Hawaii seems to be offering that a possibility for you, or is it for the adventure or is it for the beaches and just relaxing on the beaches? As you consider places to go, always ask yourself why. And even though I had many deep internal reasons for wanting to go to Hawaii, there was an external reason in that I've never been to Hawaii. So it was nice to be able to say I've been to another state of the US. But for me, it was the nature, the beauty, and getting a chance to relax and just absorb all of the beauty around me. Sisters, I hope you consider your why for travel anytime you are planning a trip because that's what's gonna fuel your experience. It's important to listen to yourself and not be looking at what you're doing as just a checkbox or just because it's popular. But I want you to have an experience when you travel that is deeply meaningful to you and fulfills uh things that are part of your DNA and uh how you've been created by God.